Howdy everyone! Welcome to the next installment of the Kotaku Game Club! Starting this week, through the month of July, we're going to play Shadows of the Damned, the third-person shooter from Resident Evil mastermind Shinji Mikami, and the crazy man behind No More Heroes, Suda 51. As with previous game club discussions, the goal of our little group isn't to review the game, judge its graphics, etc, but to explore the game's storytelling: themes in the plot, how the game's mechanics and art are used to enhance that story.

In Grasshopper Manufacture's Shadows of the Damned, hero Garcia Hotspur has a demonic pal…
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Yes, if you've been tracking this game in the media, you know that this game has a very crass sense of humor. So in addition to looking at how having two distinctive game designers at the helm effects their respective styles, I imagine that we'll be spending a great deal of time talking about the role of humor in games, and what kinds of humor work in this particular medium.

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So, without further adieu, here is the Game Club schedule for Shadows of the Damned.

Friday, June 24th - Acts 1 & 2

Thursday, June 30th - Act 3

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Thursday, July 7th - Act 4

Thursday, July 14th - Act 5/Ending

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As it turns out, the game is broken up into five neat little acts, which should each between 2-4 hours. On each of the days above, I'll release a post with my thoughts on the game, which will serve as a meeting place and jump-off point for our discussion. Please add your thoughts on the game via comment, and we will discuss everything together. I will be waiting around after the post goes live as well. As we play through, my initial post will be exploring the themes we've discussed, incorporating your comments into the story, etc.

We'll be playing an act per week, which seems like a good amount of time for even the busiest of gamers. I know some of us will have a hard time not burning through the game quickly, but I implore you: Please hold back! Half the fun of game club is the feeling that comes with experiencing a game as a group. Skipping ahead will break that magic.

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If you're planning on picking up this game, I really hope you'll play along, check out our first "meeting" post, and tell everybody what you think. See ya Friday!